Here stands a bronze figure forever frozen in thought. It is the Monument to Giovanni Meli. He was a Sicilian poet. This monument was erected in 1909 to honor him. Pasquale Civiletti sculpted it. The statue stands in Piazza Stazione Lolli.
Giovanni Meli lived from 1740 to 1815. The statue rests on a marble plinth. Meli holds a book in his left hand. He seems to step forward. His gaze is melancholically downcast.
Meli was born right here in Palermo. He studied philosophy and medicine. Later, he became a doctor in Cinisi. That is a province near Palermo. During this time, he discovered bucolic poets. He recognized the poetic value of his native Sicilian language. He used it in all his works.
This is not the only statue of Meli in Palermo. There is another in the Palazzo Pretorio. In that statue, he is sitting. Giovanni Meli is buried in the church of San Domenico.
Meli’s first published work was La Bucolica. It was written between 1766 and 1772. Jacopo Sannazaro’s Arcadia inspired it. He wrote it while working as a doctor.
Soon after, Meli returned to Palermo. He was already known as a scientist and poet. He dedicated his life to Sicilian poetry. He collected old works. More importantly, he wrote and published his own. His Poesii siciliani was published in five volumes in 1787. A six-volume edition appeared in 1814.
Besides La bucolica, his collections include satirical verses. La fata galanti is one example. It means The courteous fairy. Don Chisciotti e Sanciu Panza is another. He wrote it from 1785 to 1787. It is a parody inspired by Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote. Other works include Favuli murali. These are moral fables. He also wrote Origini d\’\’\’\’û munnu. That means the origin of the world. Finally, there are Elegii and Canzunetti. These are elegies and little songs.
A gold medal was made to honor Meli. It depicted his face with a graduate head. The reverse side called him the new Sicilian Anacreon. Prince Leopold himself sent Meli the gold medal. He also sent a letter. The prince admired Meli’s poetic talents. He wished him a long life.
Giovanni Meli was not only a poet. He was also a good doctor. The prince noted this in his letter. He recognized Meli’s contributions to both fields.
Look closely at the Monument to Giovanni Meli. Consider his contributions to Sicilian culture. Remember his dedication to poetry and science. He remains a celebrated figure of Palermo.